Vix- With the Oscars right around the corner, there's a whole lot of buzz going on, from who might take home Best Actor and Actress to what film will take home Best Picture. This year was full of great movies, including Fences, Hidden Figures, Moonlight, Manchester By The Sea, Arrival, and of course, La La Land.
However, though anticipating who wins can be fun and exciting, there is a lot that goes on behind the scenes for this award show to be as glamorous, honorable, and amazing as it is. Here are ten facts about the award show that you never knew.
1. You have to offer your award for $1.
That's right—before an award winner can sell their Oscar, they have to offer it to the Academy for $1. Yep, this has been a thing since 1950. Why? "They’re not tchotchkes to be bought off of a shelf," according to an Academy spokesman.
2. Viola Davis holds an Oscar record.
Viola is officially the first black actress to be nominated for three Oscar nominations, including Best Supporting Actress for Fences this year, as well as her nomination in 2006 for Best Supporting Actress for Doubt, and Best Actress in 2011 for The Help.
3. It will be televised in 225 counties.
Including Africa, Albania, Austria, Bolivia, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Fiji, Finland, Guatemala, Iceland, Macedonia, and Peru.
4. Companies pay $2.1 million per commercial.
The Superbowl still wins, though, with commercials wanting to air during the game costing a whopping $5 million.
5. The red carpet costs $30,000.
The 16,500 square-foot carpet costs some serious bucks.
6. It's actually called an Academy Award of Merit.
The Academy Award is nicknamed as "Oscar," but the official name of the award is actually called the Academy Award of Merit.
7. People are hired as seat fillers.
But not just your average Joe. The only way to get to be a seat filler is by knowing someone who works for the Academy, or be an employee of Pricewaterhouse Coopers, the accounting firm that tallies the votes to see who wins throughout the night.
8. The award weighs 8.5 pounds.
You know it takes some real talent to win an award that's as heavy as a newborn.
9. An x-rated film won Best Picture.
Midnight Cowboy is the only X-rated film in history to have taken home the award for Best Picture, in the year 1970. It also won other awards, including Best Director, and Best Screenplay.
10. Italy has won the most foreign film award at the Oscars.
Each year, the Academy also awards the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, which includes films done by European, Asian, African, South American, and Middle Eastern countries. Italy has won the most awards in this category.
Fuente: www.vix.com